The 2019 US Senior Women's Open field offers a variety of ways into the first senior women's major championship of year, ranging from winning a major or on the LPGA Tour, to earning a special invitation, or qualifying for the 120-player field through sectional qualifying events.
A golfer has to be one of the best on the planet to qualify for the US Senior Women's Open. They can get a US Senior Women's Open exemption if they meet one of these worldwide criteria to get an invitation.
US Senior Women's Open qualifying and exemption categories
- Winner of the 2018 U.S. Senior Women’s Open Championship -- Laura Davies
- From the 2018 U.S. Senior Women’s Open Championship, the 20 lowest scorers and anyone tying for 20th place -- Barbara Moxness, Patricia Johnson, Alicia Dibos, Marilyn Lovander, Susie Redman, Martha Leach, Juli Inkster, Liselotte Neumann, Cathy Johnston-Forbes, Tammie Green-Parker, Helen Alfredsson, Michele Redman, Rosie Jones, Danielle Ammaccapane, Barb Mucha, Jamie Fischer, Suzy Green-Roebuck, Laurel Kean, Yuko Saito
- From the 2018 U.S. Senior Women’s Open Championship, the amateur returning the lowest 72-hole score
- Winners of the U.S. Women’s Open Championship who reached their 50th birthday on or before May 16, 2019 (10 year exemption) -- JoAnne Gunderson Carner, Amy Alcott, Jane Geddes, Hollis Stacy, Jan Stephenson
- Any professional or applicant for reinstatement who has won the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship (3 year exemption) -- Laura Baugh, Kay Cockerill, Joanne Foreman, Amy Fruhwirth, Carolyn Hill
- Winners of the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship who reached their 50th birthday on or before May 16, 2019 (must be an amateur) (5 year exemption)
- Winners of the following events when deemed a major* by the LPGA Tour and who reached their 50th birthday on or before May 16, 2019. ANA Inspiration (1983-present), Evian Championship (2013-present), AIG Women’s British Open (2019-), Ricoh Women’s British Open (2001-2018), du Maurier Classic (1979-2000), KPMG Women’s US Senior Women's Open (1955-present), Titleholders Championship (1946. 1966 & 1972) or Western Open (1930-1967) (10 year exemption) -- Nanci Bowen, Jenny Lidback, Alice Miller, Nancy Scranton, Martha Nause, Donna Andrews, Christa Johnson
- From the final 2018 LPGA Tour all-time money list, age-eligible players from the top 150 or money leaders and ties -- Valerie Skinner, Kris Tschetter, Lorie Kane, Wendy Doolan
- Winners of the LPGA Teaching & Club Professional Championship (Championship Division) the last five years (2014-2018) and the five lowest scorers and ties from the most recent Championship (2018) -- Laurie Rinker, Jean Bartholomew, Lisa Grimes
- From the 2018 LPGA Teaching & Club Professional Championship (Senior Division), the three lowest scorers and ties
- Winners of LPGA Tour co-sponsored events, whose victories are considered official, in the last five calendar years (2014-2018) and during the current calendar year to the initiation of the 2019 U.S. Senior Women’s Open Championship
- From the 2018 final official Ladies European Tour and Japan LPGA Career Money lists, the top five money leaders
- Playing members of the five most current United States and European Solheim Cup Teams
- From the 2018 Senior LUS Senior Women's Open, the 10 lowest scorers and anyone tying for 10th place
- Winners and runners-up of the Senior LUS Senior Women's Open the last two years (2017-2018)
- From the final 2017 and 2018 official Legends Tour Performance Points list, the top 30 point leaders and ties -- Barb Bunkowski, Jane Crafter, Cindy Figg-Currier, Becky Iverson, Maggie Will
- Winners of the Legends Tour co-sponsored events, excluding team events, whose victories are considered official, in the last two calendar years (2017 & 2018) and during the current calendar year to the initiation of the current year’s U.S. Senior Women’s Open Championship
- Winners of the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Championship the last two years (2017 & 2018) and the 2018 runner-up (must be an amateur) -- Sue Wooster
- Winners of the 2017 and 2018 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship (must be an amateur)
- Playing members of the two most current United States and Great Britain & Ireland Curtis Cup Teams and the two most current United States Women’s World Amateur Teams (must be an amateur)
- Winners of the 2018 R&A Women’s Senior Amateur and Canadian Women’s Senior Amateur Championships (must be an amateur)
- Special exemptions as selected by the USGA
- US Senior Women's Open sectional qualifiers -- Joy Bonhurst, Lisa McGill, Anne Marie Palli, Kaori Shimura, Laura Coble, Brenda Pictor, Nodjya Cook, Marlene Davis, Mary Ann Hayward, Karen Weiss, Kristine Franklin, Sue Nyhus, Carolyn Barnett-Howe, Tama Caldabaugh, Susan Cohn, Jennifer Cully, Pam Elders, Cheryl Fox, Jacqueline Gallagher-Smith, Sue Ginter, Kim Keyer-Scott, Pat Shriver, Lorie Wilkes, Susan Bond-Philo, Pamela Johnson, Marjorie Jones, Laura Shanahan-Rowe, Marie Therese Torti, Audra Burks, Elaine Crosby, Hui Chong Dofflemyer, Ellen Port, Susan West, Kelley Brooke, Julie Piers, Cindy Reeves, Christine Reuss, Dana Bates, Dede Cusimano, Lisa Depaulo, Akemi Nakata Khaiat, Yumi Kabota, Kathy Kurata, Leslie Spalding, Amy Stubblefield, Sally Austin, Patty Moore, Terrill Samuel, Kimberly Williams, Marilyn Hardy, Julie Harrison, Missie McGeorge, Kelley Nittoli, Tina Barker, Lynne Cowan, Kathryn Imrie, Sally Krueger, Marianne Towersey, Dina Ammaccapane, Kim Eaton, Amy Ellertson, Nancy Harvey, Ronda Henderson, Leigh Klasse, Kammy Maxfeldt, Linda Bowman Segre, Leslie Folsom, Sherry Andonian